La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 19 text:

ZZ2222Z22222Z SSSSSSS LA SALLE ' S HISTORY On 22 February 1 964, USS LA SALLE was commissioned as an Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD) and joined her sister ships. USS RALEIGH and USS VANCOUVER as the newest class of amphibious ships In the Navy. Mobility, flexibility, and versatility were the trademarks of these ships. In 1 965, LA SALLE served as the flagship for Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Forces during the Domini- can Crisis and participated in the evacuation of Construction Battalion SIX from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1966. LA SALLE became the first ship of her size to success- fully recover and return a Project GEMINI space capsule to Cape Canaveral. During 1969. LA SALLE served as the test platform for the prototype AV-8 HARRIER VTOL fighter-bomber. In January, 1972, after an extensive overhaul, LA SALLE was designated as a Miscellaneous Command Ship (AGF) and assumed duties as the flagship for Commander, Middle East Force. Painted white to reflect the hot sun. The Great White Ghost of the Arabian Coast steamed an average of 55,000 miles annually calling on ports in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East in support of COMIDEASTFOR. In 1979, LA SALLE assisted in the evacuation of 260 American and foreign civilians from the Iranian seaport of Bandar Abbas and became the focal point of United States activity in the Arabian Gulf at the outset of the Iranian Hostage Crisis. In 1 984, LA SALLE embarked CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters and equipment from Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadron 14 to conduct minesweep operations in the Red Sea in response to at- tempts to disrupt the free passage of shipping. In the beginning of 1986, LA SALLE conducted contingency operations off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden during that country ' s civil war. With the onset of the Arabian Gulf Tanker War, and throughout 1 987, LA SALLE served as the command platform for all Arabian Gulf Convoy Escort Opera- tions. In May 1987, LA SALLE provided the primary fire fighting and rescue assistance and crew sup- port to USS STARK (FFG-31) following an Iraqi missile attack. In September 1987, LA SALLE acted as the launch platform for the assault on the Iranian minelaying vessel IRAN AJR, Crews and assault craft from LA SALLE conducted the assault on the vessel and effected the detention of its crew while LA SALLE ' S prize crews manned IRAN AJR . In October 1988, LA SALLE assumed duties as flagship of the newly established Commander, Joint Task Force Middle East. On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. LA SALLE and five other ships in the region represented the only United States naval presence in the Arabian Gulf during the early days of the invasion. LA SALLE continued to serve as flagship when COMIDEASTFOR assumed the added responsibility of controlling and coordinating the Multinational Maritime Intercept Force during OPERATION DESERT SHIELD. At the request of Kuwait ' s recognized government. United States and allied navies in the Ara- bian Gulf and Red Sea intercepted merchant shipping and vigorously enforced sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council against Iraq, LA SALLE concurrently served as the flagship for Commander United States Naval Forces, Central Command, VSSSSSSS3SSSS3: 222Z22Z22Z2

Page 21 text:

WILLIAM M. FOGARTY REAR ADMIRAL (UPPER HALF) UNITED STATES NAVY Rear Admiral Fogarty is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and entered the Navy via NROTC at low a State University of Science and Technology in 1958. Rear Admiral Fogarty ' s many assignments include: USS GUNSTON HALL (LSD-5), USS OUTAGAMIE COUN- TY (LST-1073), USS LOFBERG (DD-759), the staff of Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Force. U.S. Pacific Fleet, and USS ROWAN (DD-782). In 1968, he took command of USS HOOPER (FF-1026). A 1971 gradu- ate of the German Command and Staff College. Ham- burg, Federal Republic of Germany, Rear Admiral Fo- garty served as Chief Engineer of USS WASP (CVS- 18) in 1971, and the following year commissioned and served as Commanding Officer of USS JESSE L. BROWN (FF-1089). Rear Admiral Fogarty obtained a Masters Degree in International Affairs from George Washington Uni- versity while attending the National War College in Washington, D.C. in 1 975. He is also a graduate of Har- vard University ' s John F. Kennedy School of Govern- ment, Executive Program in National and International Security. He served in several important Pentagon posts while in Washington, D.C. Rear Admiral Fogarty took command of Destroyer Squadron TWENTY-SIX in July 1979. He assumed command of Destroyer Squadron TEN in 1980, then in 1 981 was assigned as Prospective Commanding Of- ficer of the battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62), which was recommissioned in December 1982. In Oc- tober 1983, Rear Admiral Fogarty attended the CJCS sponsored General and Flag Officer Professional Mili- tary Education Course (CAPSTONE), then was as- signed as Director of Force Level Plans and Warfare Directorate on the staff of the Chief of Naval Opera- tions in 1984. He was selected to the rank of Rear Ad- miral (Upper Half) in February 1985. In February 1 986, Rear Admiral Fogarty took com- mand of the Amphibious Group TWO Amphibious Strike Force, Atlantic. In 1987, he was assigned as Di- rector, Plans and Policy (J5), U.S. Central Command. In March 1989, Rear Admiral Fogarty reported as Commander Joint Task Force Middle East and Com- mander Middle East Force, located in Manama, Bah- rain.